Laced With Grace

“Dear Children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

A few months ago, I borrowed an idea from a Proverbs 31 devotional email I had received. The idea was serving dinner to a child on a “family honor plate” when that child showed an extraordinary example of the Fruit of the Spirit. While I didn’t purchase the kit, my husband and I did institute this idea into our home when one of our children would demonstrate an extraordinary quality of the fruit of the spirit.

I remember a special occasion in which my daughter, Delena, was awarded dinner on the family honor plate. I had just picked her up from her first day of Vacation Bible School at our new church. We had only been attending a couple of weeks and she was so excited to begin meeting new friends. On the drive home, she was jumping from one subject to the next telling me every detail of her first day at VBS. Somewhere in the midst of her tales, she was talking about a boy who said she had “stinky feet.” She said that he refused to apologize, even after a teacher told him to, and eventually received a time-out for being mean and not apologizing. Delena was telling me how she did not say anything to him because that was not the way Jesus would want her to act. She said that she didn’t even tattle on this boy. She told me that this was something she chose to let God handle.

Stop. Rewind. Someone said that my child had stinky feet?

Here I was, ready to jump into mommy defense mode and defend my child who did not deserve to be treated so rudely by a boy. The funny thing was she genuinely wasn’t even mad at this little boy. I was amazed at how mature she acted and how lovingly she handled the battle. She made a wise choice in allowing God to take care of this one.

Her situation made me think of battles in my own life. I examined situations I was facing at the time and asked God, “what battles am I fighting uselessly? Which ones do I just need to let go of and hand over to You?”

A disagreement with my neighbor came to mind. Months later this is not resolved and I realized that I am still angry and bitter about what happened. I still longed for the opportunity to tell her how I feel about her and the whole situation, and not in a nice way. I could see that this was a battle that I needed to hand over to God and leave it at the cross. There are plenty more battles I needed to turn over to God too.

I am having all four of my wisdom teeth pulled on Wednesday. I am afraid, especially at the risk of permanent nerve damage because of my age. However, all the fretting and worrying and constant thinking about it cannot change the outcome. Again, this is a battle the Lord has to handle. I cannot in anyway win this one, without Him. I’m learning to trust Him to take care of me and protect me during the surgery.

Jesus wants to be our defender and our savior. He wants us to let Him fight some of our battles for us. There are some battles on this earth we just simply cannot win. And some in which we will not see the victories this side of heaven. Those fights are best handed over to the Lord. Psalms 24:8 says:

“Who is this King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord might in battle.”

Now don’t get me wrong, there will be times God calls us into the battle. We will be expected to fight, to defend truth, to defend His word. We go to battle against the enemy every single day. That is why God’s word and His armor is so important for us to walk in victory daily. But there are also those times that we have to lay our battles at the cross. We will be required to love our enemies. Jesus said in Luke 6:29:

“If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also…”

He will call on us to show the Fruit of the Spirit in the most difficult circumstances and to some of the most difficult people. I always hope to remember my daughter’s Christ-like heart and attitude she showed to that little boy who made fun of her. My prayer is for that childlike innocence in seeing the battles for me to fight through Him and the battles that the Lord wants for Himself.

For the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. Galatians 5:22

Heavenly Father, I pray for discernment through your Word on which battles I need to fight and which ones I can hand over to you. You word says that You are strong and mighty in battle and thank you that you defend me. Thank you that I can boldly approach your throne and stand in the promise of your word – handing over struggles that I cannot fight or win. I pray that it would all be for your Glory and that you use me to show your love to others. In your precious and holy name, Amen.

“Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.”
Genesis 24:49 (NIV)

These words are found in the very beginning of the bible. The question arises for many of us, “How do I show kindness and faithfulness to my master?”

By praying?

By attending church?

By reading my bible?

The answer is yes. But there is more.

The question remains, “Who is my master?”

God?

Jesus?

The Holy Spirit?

Again, the answer is yes. But again, there is more.

Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
1 Peter 2:17 (NIV)

The answer is right there. The brotherhood of believers. A brotherhood and sisterhood created by Christ Himself to unite us under the umbrella of His love and compassion. Show respect to EVERYONE. Your neighbor. The clerk at the grocery store. He who casts stones upon you. EVERYONE.

Trust me, I know how difficult it can be to extend your kindness to those who have hurt you. Yet it was not EASY for Jesus to die on the cross to erase our sins. It was not EASY for God to send His only child to die for us. Life isn’t easy. Being a Christian isn’t easy. Loving everyone around you isn’t easy.

But it is what we are called to do.

Forgive the sins of others, just as Jesus forgave us. Extend a healing hand to those who have hurt or betrayed us, for God’s hand is outreached for each and every one of us.

“And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ‘ ”
Genesis 20:13 (NIV)

There is God in all of us. We are all in God. Even those who don’t believe deserve the same love and kindness. After all, God doesn’t believe in atheists. God doesn’t believe anyone’s heart is completely devoid of any thought or joy for Him.

It is our job, as believers in Christ, to open the eyes and hearts of those around us by ACTING in the ways God has taught us. Reach out your hands. Speak kind words with your mouth. Heal the hurts of the past. Forgive. Walk in Christ’s light.

Lord, help us to walk in the light of Your love and kindness. Give us the strength and power to reach out to those we may have hurt or who may have hurt us and heal the scars that remain. Guide our hearts to treat everyone we meet as if we are meeting you, our Savior, Himself. This we pray in Jesus’s name.

How can YOU be a better Christian TODAY? RIGHT NOW?

I was thoroughly captivated as I watched her take charge of the small gathering. She was pretty, vivacious and charming. With enviable ease she presented the product she was there to sell – beautiful pieces made of copper. Before the evening was over, everyone had purchased at least one item. The party was a huge success.

I wanted to be just like her, and so I signed up to sell copper products. In my imagination I stood before a group of enchanted women who were anxious to buy simply because I was so “wonderful”. The reality was a far cry from the dream. I wasn’t standing there five minutes before I realized I was totally unsuited for the job. I didn’t last very long as a copper salesgirl.

Unhappily, I tend to do this sort of thing. I think another name for it might be “hero worship”. In my younger years it was often someone who was well known – perhaps an actress or dancer or a character in a book. I would try to be just like that person. My imagination was such that I could totally immerse myself in someone else’s personality and pretend to be her. I was Shirley Temple, Pollyanna, Gidget – whoever happened to capture my fancy for that moment.

As I got older it changed a bit. The women I admired were prominent Christian women. Their lives inspired me to want to be just like them. I would immerse myself in their writings and read everything I could find about them. This was an improvement on the heroes of my youth, but it was still not right. I needed to be real. I needed to discover who I was in Jesus and be that “me”.

I have been gifted with a vivid imagination. I could still transport myself to places far outside my little world. I could still pretend to be someone else, but I don’t want to do that any more. I have to guard my heart against this thing called “hero worship” and fix my eyes on the only One worthy to be worshiped. I have to be the Linda He created me to be.

It is easy to look at someone else’s life; to feel a deep admiration for who they are; to wish I could be just like them. If I do that, I miss the blessing God intended in my own life. My gifts may not be the ones I admire in someone else. They may not even be the ones I wish I had, but they are the ones I have been given by the One who knows me better than I know myself. As I learn to use those gifts to serve others I will find a deep sense of fulfillment.

My life will not produce the beautiful fruit God intended if I am trying to live through someone else’s life – no matter how admirable that person might be. I have to make my faith my own. I must have a personal relationship with the Lord that is growing deeper with the passing of time. I must guard my heart and make it His alone.

Each one of us is special and unique in His eyes. He has made us so. Just as no two snow flakes are alike so it is with us. He has crafted us with wise, loving hands – and He loves us unconditionally. We don’t have to be like anyone else. We just have to be completely and totally His.

“Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down
from the father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.” ~James 1:17 (NAS)